Record device



Sept. 18, 1934. AUERBACH 1,974,005

RECORD DEVICE Original Filed June 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY Sept. 18, 1934. 2. AuERBA cH 1,974,005

RECORD DEVICE Original Filed June 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z INYENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1934 uuirso STATES RECORD DEVICE Zemach Auerbach, New York, N. Y.

Application June 7, 1930, Serial No. 459,683 Renewed February 7, 1934 6 Claims.

My invention relates to record devices and more particularly to a receptacle for containing a stack of record cards, sheets or folders, together with a group of holders for detachably 5. holding the cards or sheets in successive relation within the receptacle. .The receptacle itself may be made in the form of ashallow tray and I will describe the same as such,. although not intending to limit the scope of the invention but to cover any type of receptacle for holding a series of cards, folders or record sheets. In my copendjing application Serial No. 459,682, filed concurrently herewith, I have shown a device intended for the same general purposes as the present invention but in the present case I have shown and will claim a somewhat different type of holder for the cards or sheets than that set forth in said copending application.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive type of cardfolder or sheet-holder, together with a container such as a tray for holding a stack or a series of card-holders, together with the cards or record sheets assembled on the'holders. The several card-holders are so associated with the tray that they may be individually detached therefrom and all of the holders may be placed in close parallel'relation so that the cards or record sheets held by the several holders may be folded clown in overlapping relation to allow a series of the cards or folders to be grouped in compact form in a shallow tray. V

One of the principal advantages of the present invention is the provision of a simple type of resilient card holder having I a spring arm adapted to be temporarily lifted in relation to the tray to receive a folded 'cardand this arm is provided with projections passing through apertures in the card or folder for the purpose of preventing displacement of the card or folder in relation to said arm. In one form of the invention the projections are adapted to pass through the card and cooperate with the bottom of the tray to hold the cards from displacement on the supporting arm, whereas in other forms of the invention the projections are in the form of hooks which pass through apertures'in the bottom edges of the cards, the latter form being adapted for either multiple fold cards or single cards. One of the principal advantages of the invention is the saving of time in, posting or operating with large numbers of record cards. The cards in the present device are not only readily available for reading but they may be very rapidly removed from and returned. to their several holders. Other advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed description. 7

In the drawings forming part of this application, f

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a tray having card holders and cards mounted therein and embodying my invention in one form,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on theline 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the card holder, i V

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one-corner of one type of card orv folder adapted for use with this type of the invention, s

Figure 5 is a sectional view corresponding with Figure 2 but illustrating a modified form of card holder,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of. the card holders of this type removed from the tray, l

Figure I is a sectional view taken on the line 'I'7 of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a still further modification of the card holder,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the type of card holder shown in Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 8, I

Figure '11 is a view similartoFigure 5 but showing a still further modified form of the invention, and I a Figure 12 isa perspective view of-one' of card holders illustrated in Figure 11.

I will first describe the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. The type of tray used with the present invention may be exactly the same as that shown in my said copending application except for the provision of certain grooves in the bottom of the tray in the present device, so that reference may be made to that application or such features of the tray as are not specifically shownanddescribed here-'- in. It will be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited in its applica tion to a tray of the type referred to. I

In the drawings Ihave shown a tray composed of a bottomlwall 1 having side and end walls 2, 3 formed by bending the marginal por-- tions of the metal upwardly or at right-angles to the bottom to form a compartment 4 forreceiving and holding-a series of card folders or record sheets, together with their several holders. V.

I have shown the flange of the tray reinforced by a strip 5 folded upon itself to provide vertical walls 6, 7 which are pressed over and straddle the flange 2 of the tray for the purpose of reinforcing the same and for the purpose of supporting the marginal tracks 8 disposed at opposite sides of the tray and adjacent to but spaced slightly from the bottom wall 1, which tracks form the guiding means for a follower which may be used for retaining the card holders in close relation. A follower, as well as a bottom stop device, are shown in my said copending application, and} they are omitted" they do not form any part of the present inveng tion.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 I have provided a strip of substantially Z-shape in cross-section and having a base portion 9 secured against the top surface of the bottom wall of the tray-and the strip isprovided with a short vertical portion 10 which supports a horizontal flange 11 which projects towards one of the side tracks .8 of the tray and in the same horizontal plane therewith, so that the track. 8' and .the flange 11, together, form-.with the bottom wall of the tray-a guideway 12 for the bases of the several card holders. The several card holders'may all be formed alike, so that a description of one applies to all. They arejpreferably, formed of resilient wire, and as shown in Figure 3 one portion of the wire is bent in the form of a rectangle13 which formsithe base or guiding member of thecard holder. '1 1 The wire extends inwardly at 14 from the rectangular portion and then it extends upward 1y at 15 away from the plane of the base, and it then extends horizontally, as shown at 16, inthe form of an arm, the oppositeend of which is free to move toward and from the bottomof. the tray. This arm, which is the member which directly engages and holds'the cardfolder or record-sheet,is provided with downwardlyprojected loops 1?, preferably provided at locations on opposite sides of the median line of the tray. Preferably, the bottomvwall of the tray is provided with depressed grooves 18 which may be made by drawing the metal downwardly at the lines of the grooves so that the lowerends'of the loops 1'7 may extend into the upperror concave sides. of the grooves 18 in order to insure the passage of the loops entirely through the cards or folders.

The cards or folders suitable. for recording statistics, accounts or. other facts, are shown as consisting of blanks 19 folded upon themselves along theline 20 which forms the bottom of each card or blank, and apertures 21' are provided at the folded edge of the cards in such positions as will register with the projecting loops 1'7 of the arm 16.

The several card holders may be inserted in the guideway 12, preferably before any card i is attached thereto, by turning the card holder so that its rectangular base maybe entered between the track. 8 andthe flange 11 as shown at :22 in-Figure l, and. when the base of the holder'rests on the bottom. wall of the tray between these members, the card holder is turned crosswise of'the trayso thatthe ends of the base 13' of the holder engage under the track 8 and. the flange 11 respectively.

.When the card holders are thusattached in the tray, they maybe slid lengthwise of the tray, their bases 13 travelling in the guideway 12 and the holders are prevented from disengaging from the tray as long as they are not turned in relation to the track guideway 12. A number of the card holders may be attached to the tray and brought to rest with their bases close to or touching one another, so that there will be a series of card-holding arms 16 pro-- jecting parallel to each other crosswise of the tray; and the several card holders may be se cured against movement longitudinally of the tray by the bottom stop and top follower shown and described in my said copending application. To attach a card to a card holder it is merely necessary to lift one of the arms 16 or swing it upwardly away from the bottom of the tray, and at the sametime one of the cards is presented crosswise of the tray with the arm 16 lying be- ,tween thetwo folds of the card. When the card has been moved in so that its apertures 21L register with the projecting loops 17 the arm is released and by reason of its resiliency it will move downwardly so that the projecting loops 17 extend into the concave surfaces of the grooves 18. The straight portion of the spring arm 16 will lie in the folded bottom edge of the card, whereas the projecting loops 17 will extend through theapertures 21 and press against the grooves 18 of the bottom wall of the tray. The card is thus pivotally mounted on the spring arm'16 so that it may be turned back and forth like the leaves of a book and either side of either fold of the card may be made accessible for reading the subject matter on the card or for writing any matter thereon.

The'card may be removed from the holder by simpy lifting the spring arm 16 and moving the card downwardly and laterally to release the loops 17' from the apertures 21 and to slide the card off the spring arm. The cards may be so quickly removed .and replaced that it is convenient to remove the cards and place them in a typewriter for the purpose of typing thereon any record matter, or other facts, after which the card may be returned to its particular holder. These cards may be removed approximately as rapidly as lose cards in a card file or open drawer, but there is the advantage in the present device that the cards are. each'held within the tray, so that'they are preserved in an assembled group,.each pivoted on a card holder, and the tray may be turned in any position without having the cards fall'from the tray.

In Figures 5 to '7 I have shown a type of card holder adapted either for a double fold card or a single card. In this construction the wire forming the card holder is bent in the form of an oblong base 23 which is adapted to be inserted in the guideway 24 similar to the rectangular base of the first-described holders. The wire extendingfrom this base is coiled upon itself, as shown at 25 to form a spring for the purpose of providing the desired flexibility for thefree arm 26 which forms the holding member for the card- This arm 26 extends outwardly from the spring portion 25 and extends crosswise of the :tray, similar to the arm 16 in the previous form. This arm, however, is provided: with upwardly extending projections 2'7 formed by coiling the wire into a partial ring, thence looped backwardly at 28 and formed with a return bend 29 from which the second section 30 of the arm projects.

At the end of the arm there is a loop 31 forming anopenring on the end of the spring arm.

- may receive the cards therein.

The cards 32 for this type of holder are provided adjacent their bottom edges with apertures" 33 throughwhichfthe curved loops 27 -29 and 31 are adapted to' extend as shown in Figure 5.' When a card is attached upon the loops the latter form hinge members which permit the cards to be turned back and forth like the leaves of a book. To attach a card to a holder of this type the spring arm 26, 30 is lifted away from the bottom of the tray'and the card presented so that the books 27, 29 and 31 are projected through the apertures 33 after which the spring arm is released and the resiliency of the holder causes the arm to be pressed downwardly against the bottom wall of the tray, as shown in Figure 5. To release the card, the spring arm is simply lifted and the card swung off the hooks.

In Figures 8 to 10 inclusive I have shown means for securing the card holders to the tray disposed centrally of the tray and consisting of a strip of metal 34 attached to the bottom wall of the tray and having its edges turned or folded to provide opposed flanges 35 which form with the base of a strip a guideway 36 for the attaching means of the card holders. As shown in Figure 9 the card holder consists, preferably, of a piece of wire bent so that an oblong base 37 is formed centrally of the card holder and from this base the wire extends upwardly at 38 and thence laterally at 39, 40 in opposite directions,

to form the spring arms for holding the card. I have shown the spring arms bent downwardly at 41 in order that their outer portions 42, 43 may lie pressed against the top surface of the bottom wall of the tray.

The opposite or free ends of these spring arms are curved to form upwardly extending hooks 44 the ends being free, that is to say, the hooks are not completely closed so that they The card 45 in this form of the invention is similar to the card previously described, and it is provided with apertures 46, and preferably also with a cut-out 47 at its bottom edge, so that it will not interfere with the portion of the card holder lying adjacent to the securing strip 34. To attach this type of card to this type of holder, one of the spring arms 42, 43 is raised and a card is presented, so that the free end of the hook 44 passes through one of the apertures 46. The other spring arm is then raised and the card presented so that the free end of the opposite hook 44 passes through the other aperture 46 of the card, and when both arms are released they are resiliently pressed against the bottom wall of the tray so that the upstanding hooks 44 provide hinge members which secure the card in place and allow it to be turned back and forth like the leaves of a book.

In Figures 11 and 12 I have shown a somewhat modified form of the holders above described. In this form the strip 48 which forms a guide for the holders is attached to the bottom wall of the tray and it has folded or turned edges 49 forming flanges which cooperate to provide a guideway 50 corresponding with the guideway above described. The card holder, as shown in Figure 12, is composed, preferably, of bent wire, one portion of which is shaped to provide an oblong base 51, and from there the Wire turns upwardly at 52, thence laterally at 53 to a point adjacent the side of the tray where it is coiled upon itself to form a spring portion 54.

From there the wire is extended in a reverse lateral direction at 55 and thence bent to form the reverse hook 56 after which the wire extends" again laterally and-it is bent to form additional hooks 56 parallel with each other. The card 57 in this 'form' of the invention is similar to the cards previously described, except that where there are three hooks 56 as shown in Figures 11' and 12, there will be three apertures 58 adjacent the'lower edge of the card. The card may be attached to" its holder by presenting it so that as" the spring arm 55 is raised, the several hooks 56 will pass through the apertures 58 and upon releasing the spring arm the latter will be pressed downwardly against the bottom wall of the tray and secure the card so that it may be pivoted upon the several hooks 56.

In each form of the invention the card holders are of simple and inexpensive construction,

Having described my invention, what I claim I 1. In a device of the class described, a card tray having guiding means therein, card holders slidably engaging said guiding means and each having a resilient arm extending crosswise of the tray to receive and hold a card, said arm having a hook formed therein and projecting laterally therefrom for detachably receiving and holding a card therein.

2. In a device of the class described, a tray having guiding tracks, card holders each comprising a wire bent to form a base adapted to slide under said tracks, said wire being extended crosswise of said tray to form a card-receiving arm, flexible in relation to said base, said arm being bent to form hooks projecting laterally from said arm and a card having apertures near one edge adapted to receive the points of said hooks therethrough whereby said card may pivot on said hooks.

3. A device of the class described, a tray having guiding tracks, card holders each formed of a Wire bent to form a base slidably engaging under said tracks, said wire extending from said base crosswise of said tray to form a resilient arm for holding a card, said arm being adapted to normally press against the bottom of said tray, said arm being bent to form a hook disposed laterally of said arm and with the point of said hook directed downwardly, and

its

a card having an'aperture near one edge adapted to receive the point of the hook therein and to be pivotally held by said hook.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a tray, tracks arranged in said tray and spaced from both sides thereof, card holders each comprising a Wire bent to form a base member slidably engaging under said tracks and having arms projecting laterally from each side of said base, said arms being bent to form hooks, a card having perforations adjacent one edge thereof adapted to receive the points of said hooks therein whereby the card is pivotally held by said books.

5. A device of the class described, comprising .to slide in cooperation with said tracks, said card holders being each formed of a strip which is bent to form a base portion adapted to slide under said tracks, said strip-extending laterally from said baseportion in the form of a cardreceiving arm extending crosswise of said tray, said arm being bent to form loops extending laterally of the main portions of said arm for the purpose of detachably securing a card when applied to said arm. v g

, r ZEMACH; AUERBACH. 

